The United States condemns Myanmar's junta for dissolving the party of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and warns that the move would bring more instability. "We strongly condemn the Burma military regime's decision to abolish 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy," State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel says, using Myanmar's former name. "Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma would not be and cannot be considered free or fair and, given the widespread opposition to military rule, the regime's unilateral push towards elections likely will escalate instability," he adds.